Process for the production and simultaneous conversion of articles obtained from solutions into their ultimate forms



B. BORZYKOWSKI. PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION ANO SIMULTANEOUS CONVERSION OF ARTICLES OBTAINED FROM SOLUTIONS INTO THEIR ULTIMATE FORMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 191-7- l,375,823. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

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B @Hozneqd A T N T 0 F F I C E BENNQ BORZYKOWSKI, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

OBTAINED FROM SOLUTIONS I NTO THEIR ULTIMATE FORMS.

M use me) Jr a 115 w Application filed May 29, 1917.

To all w/zom it may concern.

lL t it known that l, Bnnno BORZYKOWSKI, a citizen of Russia, teni x'n'arily residing at lcvcland, in the county of Cuyahoga and vState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Processes "for the Production and Snnultaneous Conversion oi? Articles Obtained from Solutions into Their Ultimate Forms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process and an apparatus tort-he production of articles such as threads, films, etc, from the original material, c. r cellulose, and for the simultaneous conversion of the same into the final product, (54 cellulose hydrate articles.

In the manufacture of artificial articles from cellulose solutions, more particularly in the production of artificial silk from cupric oXid-ammonia-cellulose solutions and from viscose, it isknown in this art that for the former the alkaline coagulation (caustic alkaline lye) and for the latter salt baths yield better results in the final prod not than when acids are used as precipitating baths.

The method heretofore practised for employing these precipitants is, however. troublesome and impractical, for the reason that a series of manipulations must be executed in order to reprecipitate the articles passing out of the spinning baths and wound up on rollers and the like, or to convert them into the final product, cellulose hydrate l or instance, when the process is carried out as set forth in U. patent to Steam l lo. 622.087 the viscose articles precipitated in ammonium salts must be treated. in order to complete the conversion (cmlgulation) of the same to the innermost core, for from G to 12 hours in a. cold and then in a boiling ammonium chlorid bath, and the ai'nmonium chlorid removed by boil ing with water, washing, etc, before the articles can be transformed into cellulose hydrate and bleached by means of dilute acid.

l have found that it is very advantageous and practical to use alkaline or neutral setting baths, and that all the disadvantages mentioned can be obviated by combining an alkaline or neutral and an acid setting bath; that is, using them successively in a continuous operation. The process and one form Specification of Letters Patent.

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Patented Apr. 26, 1921. Serial No. 171,794,.

of apparatus by which the process may be effected will be explained with the aid of the accompanying diagrammatic drawing.

From the spinning apparatus A the cellulose mass 18 projected in any known manner into the spinning bath B, which contains a pure caustic alkaline lye or ammonium sulfate solution o1 suitable concentration and temperature, or other composition at proper temperature, and gives the article (threads or the like) the character which is desired, or at least suitable for winding the article on the roller C. The trough D contains the agent suitable for the conversion of the cellulose article into cellulose hydrate, e. 9., sulfuric acid, which runs through the perforated bottom of the trough onto the article wound up on the roller. The lower collecting trough E receives the acid which flows off and which is passed through a pipe F into a receptacle G, from which it is conveyed, after having been strengthened and purified, by means of a pump H, or the like, to the trough D to be used anew. If necessary, the acid may also be allowed to collect in the trough E up to the overflow pipe I and made to act on the wound-up material. It is more practical, however, to immediately carry off the acid dripping from the roller C and to allow only fresh or regenerated and purified acid to run onto the article in order not to convey back to the latter the salts and impurities separated out.

By this process and apparatus the method of precipitation by means of alkaline or neutral baths is greatly improved and simpli- The object of the alkaline or neutral precipitation is attained, which consists chiefly in the fact that the articles, more particularly threads, can be strongly stretched. thereby imparting to them higher luster and greater suppleness, and this is not very well possible when precipitating in acids or in strong acidified baths, because in that case the article is at once strongly hydrated and therefore in its weakest state, in which it is very sensitive to every mechanical action. After having been wound up on rollers or the like, the articles are not subjected to any further mechanical process in the wet state, and at this stage the treatment of the same with hydrating agents is not only harmless but of advantage, because the articles shrink as a result of the hydration and therefore lie with even more tension on the roller, which increases their luster and suppleness.

Furthermore, by the present process and 5 apparatus the following improvement is secured: It is well known, and is also apparent from U. S. Patent No. 622,087 ((xermafi Patent No. 108,511) that cellulose articles, such as viscose threads, which are precipitated in common salt, alcohol, etc., remain for some time in a sticky condition. \Vhen such threads are wound up in many superposed layers until the spool, roller or the like is full, and are then to besubjected to further treatment, as describe'din the abovementioned patents, the differentthreadsor parts of the same. in the meantime stick to the layers of the previously-wound threads, so that subsequent unwinding of the threads is either not possible at all oron'ly with considerable loss. With the present process and ap aratus, however, this disadvantage'is preclu ed because each layer of the article as it winds up is at once brought into contact with the hydrating agent (6. 9., acid) and remains in continuous contact with it until the full roller, etc, is replaced by an empty one.

After removal of the roller, the articles. which are no lon er soluble in water nor sticky, may be sub ected to washing, drying and other operations.

The apparatus, which is here shown diagrammatically, is intended merely for the 5 purpose of illustration and may, of course,

be constructed and modified in any manner without thereby affecting the true character of the invention. Nor isthis processintended to be confined to articles obtained from the viscose and cupric oxid-ammoniacellulose solutions which are here mentioned by way of example. The process relates, on the contrary, to every kind of solution and every form of article which by previous coagulation and subsequent retreatment may be converted into the final product. Thus, for instance, nitrocellulose solutions may be coagulated by water or the like in suitable form and the articles wound-up and simultaneously denitrated, or ossein (fibroin) solutions may be precipitated in an ammonia sulfate bath or the like, and the property of water resistance, which the final product must possess, may be imparted by a continuin treatment with formaldehyde or the like.

T10 claim is made herein to the process above outlined where the coagulable solution is passed into an alkaline bath and thereafter converted, as the same forms the basis of my application Serial No. 390,240, filed June 19, 1920, the same being a division of this application, made pursuant to the requirements of the Patent Ofiice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. That process of producing articles from 'coagulable solutions, which consists in passing the same through a non-acid setting bathyand immediately thereafter, as a continuing operation, subjecting the same toan ultimate chemical conversion.

2; That process of producing articles from coagulable solutions, which consists in projecting andpassing the same directly into a non-acid setting bath, and immediately thereafter and as a continuing operation subjectin the material to acid treatment.

3. That process of producing threads or thread-like articles from coagulable solutions, which consists in spinning the solution into a non-acid bath, withdrawing the thread from such bath and winding the same, and

simultaneously with such winding subjecting it to an acid.

4. The process of producing articles from viscose solutions, which consists informing and setting the same in a non-acid salt solution, and as an immediately subsequent operation converting the same into the final cellulose product.

The process of producing articles from viscose solutions, which consists in formin and setting the same in a salt solution, an as an immediately subsequent operation converting the same while under tension into the final cellulose product.

In testimony whereof I have signed m-v name to this specification.

BENNO BORZYKOWSK]. 

